Can You Hear Me?
by GaleSynch
Summary: AU: "The daughter of Poseidon Thalia, her ghost still haunts this place you know. She especially hates children of Zeus and Hades. So...be careful okay, Percy?" - As if knowing that Greek Mythology was real, Percy had to learn about ghosts too, especially vengeful ones that lives right next to his cabin and wants him dead. Perlia.
1. Chapter 1

**Deal With The Devil**

**Chapter One: Ghost Of Camp Half-Blood**

* * *

He didn't really remember when he started noticing how wrong things were. Maybe it was when he stumbled across an old diary belonging to a long dead Ares camper where it clearly stated bloody battles every Friday when there was no such event. Or the longing yet fearful looks the older campers threw at the forest surrounding the camp for demigods. It didn't matter, he just knew something was wrong.

He laid there, in the Hermes Cabin on the ground as a permanent resident, wide awake and kept wondering why there were so many noises coming from the forest where no one was supposed to be in. Curiosity got the better of him; quietly and sneakily, he dressed himself and left the cabin—not knowing that it will be his last time there.

He glanced around warily before darting towards the nearest patch of trees and entered the forest. The howl of the monsters had stopped and he wondered why. Only when a twig snapped under his foot that he realized things in the forest were far too silent; the leaves on the trees curled in on themselves as if preparing themselves for something—

(—for their barks to be stained crimson, they knew but they couldn't say anything—)

He turned, blue eyes wide, to face the grotesque creature behind him. The only clear detail he saw of the monster was the stormy sea-green eyes. It was the last thing he ever saw before his vision was stained with red from pain and then the horrible blackness that was Thanatos.

The next day in the morning, Chiron led a group of campers to search for their lost camper. They found the lost son of Hermes horribly mutilated, his limbs tossed into the bloody red—mixed with the boy's blood—creek,

The rumors turned out to be true, and it turned into a legend, a myth and a warning. The older campers will tell the younger heroes of the century _borne was a girl of a broken oath whom died a human and lived a monster_ and in years to come that was long passed the ghost girl's time, _that boy saved us_.

Up and up, high on Olympus, Hermes will say to Poseidon _your daughter went to far, she killed my son _and the other Olympians will demand _stop her, she's mad _and all the sea god could do was shake his head in anguish.

Curiosity and impulsiveness always ate at them, pushed them to the edge of the cliff that was the monster where they met their end. They died because they fell off a cliff and can't fly. But this child of Prophecy was different. He can live being pushed off a cliff, he was brave and stubborn, he can fly.

**PxT**

"The daughter of Poseidon Thalia, her ghost still haunts this place you know. She especially hates children of Zeus and Hades. So...be careful okay, Percy?"

Perseus "Percy" Jackson, son of Zeus, was freaking out. His eyebrow twitched, irritated and—never in his life would he admit it—scared. "Grover," he said dangerously. "Tell me you're just kidding with me." But even as he said it, he knew his satyr friend wasn't lying. He could tell from the fear in those goat eyes.

"I am not lying, Perce," the satyr hissed urgently, dragging the young son of Zeus away from the edge of the forest and towards the Big House. "I'd never lie like that, especially about something like that. How I wish it was just a joke," he mumbled miserably to himself. "the last incident was, like, three months ago and—"

"Grover," Percy snapped. "back to the subject of the ghost of Camp Half-Blood."

"R–right," Grover swallowed nervously as he quickened his trot. "As I was saying, I was only trying to warn you. This is a warning all new campers get: don't go into the forest without some divine force like Mr. D or Chiron. Even better: don't go in at all; if you can, don't even look at the forest. Once you catch a glimpse of those eyes... you're dead."

The son of Zeus wrinkled his nose. "You...are exaggerating right?"

"No!" Grover said vehemently. "I know you, Perce, you'll go in there out of curiosity and you'll be dead. Promise me you won't go in there without me or anyone to accompany you...please?"

"Sure," Percy said cheerily. "I swear on the River Styx!" he added for reassurance. Silently, he was already plotting to drag his blonde friend into the forest to see this ghost girl. No way was he loosing out on Clarisse's challenge—which was why he even asked in the first place—because of some dead daughter of Poseidon.

Grover let out a sigh of relief, too caught up in his terror to sense the mischief coming from his best friend. "Come on," he said. "Let's forget all this ever happened."

Percy retracted his left hand from his friend, rubbing it and throwing one last look at the haunted forest, followed the satyr.

**PxT**

"If I die," the daughter of Athena, Annabeth Chase, grumbled. "I'll haunt you myself."

"Oh, I'm just so terrified."

Connor Stoll and his brother, Travis Stoll mimed fake terror at the younger girl, mocking her. Clarisse La Rue, daughter of Ares, glared at the sons of Hermes before shoving them forward.

"Move it wimps." She said. Chris, another son of Hermes, hurried to catch up with his half-brothers.

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Will Solace, son of Apollo muttered to the son of Zeus.

Percy waved him off. "Nah, we'll be fine."

"Chopped into little pieces," Silena Beauregard, daughter of Aphrodite grumbled. "but fine."

"Stop being so negative, Silena, you're scaring me!" Katie Gardner, daughter of Demeter hissed, rubbing her hands to warm herself up in the chilly night.

"We'll never find her this way, let's split up," Clarisse declared and without hearing any of their protests. She paired herself up with Chris. Percy and Annabeth were grouped together. The Stolls naturally chose one another and the two girls were grouped together along with Will—because they needed someone who wasn't scared of ghosts to protect them. "Right, whoever finds her first; scream. Hah!"

Percy grumbled something incoherent under his breath but Annabeth suspected that he was cursing. After letting out and indignant huff, he stomped off. The blonde scowled, running after him. "Don't rush off by yourself, you never know what threat there might be."

"Right," the son of Zeus snorted. "Let's go to the creek...she always shows up there...but where is it?"

The daughter of Athena sighed. "Sparky, can't you hear the rushing sounds of water?" she grumbled about her pitiful fate before turning and heading north. Percy ducked under a tree branch, following her and starting to feel unnerve.

"Say, Annabeth, don't you feel...I don't know, chilly?" he ventured after a few moments of silence with only the sounds of rushing water from the creek breaking them.

Annabeth turned to face him, he couldn't see anything of her except the blonde glint of her hair but he figured from her tone of voice she looked terrified. "Yeah, I think we should just forget this stupid dare and—"

"Watch out!" Percy yelled, grabbing his friend's hand just as she stumbled. The two demigods gulped, facing the creek that was flowing way faster than a normal one. Instead of the normal color of a stream, it was sepia-tainted. Tainted by blood, Percy realized and he felt like barfing when he saw a solid white thing which he was sure was a bone and not a stone. "We really should—"

An unearthly howl from behind the two had both demigods jumping across the creek, hands creeping to their respective weapons.

"What was that?" the son of Zeus demanded, eyes darting around wildly.

They'd expected a ghost, not a hellhound—which was what lunged right at them. "Percy, get out of the way!" Annabeth tried to step in front of her friend, to shield him but the monster leap right past her and towards him. A minion of Hades, she realized as she let out a panicked yell, hoping that their friends would come or someone would just help them.

The hellhound had just clawed the son of Zeus' chest—would've had clawed him in half had he not jump back—before it was ripped away from him. Annabeth choked back her scream when she gaze up and up to look into stormy, murky green eyes. She stumbled and nearly fell into the creek again when she realized she was looking at the ghost they were looking for. For the first time in her life, Annabeth felt like not knowing anything at all.

Especially details like, how the dead daughter of Poseidon can rip a hellhound's head from its shoulders with just a flick of her wrist. The ghost brought her bloodied fingers to her lips, licking the blood off it while she watched in fascination as the hellhound melted into the shadows. The crimson contrasted starkly with the pasty white of her skin, so white blue veins was visibly seen bulged there—Annabeth doubted that it was actually functioning though. A crimson cloak partially covered her body but behind it, Annabeth saw some black leather material, matted with blood of course. Her eyes had black eyeliners, long lashed framing murky green eyes and her lips were ruby red—she just feasted off some hellhound blood, Annabeth hoped it'd fulfill her stomach so she and Percy wouldn't be in it next.

"Thalia..." the son of Zeus murmured in awe and Annabeth cursed him silently, what was he doing admiring their soon-to-be-killer. "our saving Grace, hah!"

The joke in his last sentence puzzled both girls; the daughter of Poseidon's eyebrows pulled together into a frown and Annabeth was only momentarily baffled before she remembered that Grace was the girl's last name. Bad joke at a bad time, now they were going to die.

The ghost raised her hand, ready to kill when arrows flew out from the forest, passing through her. And she turned, startled. Annabeth turned too, mainly because she wanted to see who had saved them. Chiron trotted out from the woods, eyes narrowed and face stony. Their other friends fanned out from behind him, torn between staring in horror at the ghost and feeling concerned for their friend on the ground, injured.

"Thalia, you're unwanted here," Chiron stated calmly. "Please leave."

Thalia snorted, flicking her wrist and winds swirled around them, growing wilder and wilder, as if a storm brewing. She disappeared the same time Percy was thrown off his butt by the wind and into the creek. Annabeth estimated that the son of Zeus must have swallowed a mouthful of water before Chiron grabbed him and threw him onto his back.

Annabeth expected Chiron to lecture them. But he was gazing at the bloodied ground—luckily not any blood from them but the hellhound—frowning. Then he turned his gaze to Annabeth, something shining in his old, old eyes. "She killed the hellhound you say?"

"Yeah," Annabeth answered though her throat was dry. "when it was right on top of Percy. She, in a way, saved him. Only to be killed later by her hands."

Chiron's frown deepened as he gestured for the gathered campers to leave the forest. They all walked in silence to the edge of the forest where their siblings awaited them, greeting them with hugs and tears and smiles, glad that they weren't dead. Being the only child of Zeus, no one greeted Percy; he smiled painfully at the sight and left instantly after Chiron had issued a punishment to them. The rest of them were allowed to leave, all but Annabeth.

Chiron's eyes were intense, as if calculating all the possibilities of something—or, maybe, the way they were going to die since the ghost isn't exactly famed for letting those that saw her go. "Thalia did not harm Percy?"

Annabeth was frowning; why was the old centaur so hung up about the fact that she'd spared them? Shouldn't he be grateful that they were alive instead of wondering why they weren't dead? She voiced her thoughts and waited impatiently for her mentor's verdict.

Chiron sighed. "She never spares anyone. She normally would've killed Percy along with the hellhound. Or, she would wait for it to kill him before killing the monster. Such is her way."

"Do you think," Annabeth hesitated but Chiron's eyes gave her the courage to continue. "Do you think that she let him live because she...knew about the prophecy and...er, wants him to die a more spectacular death and chose to wait a little longer?"

Chiron's silence was all the answer she needed.

"Then Percy should leave now! The Master Bolt—"

Chiron's horse half skittered nervously. "You are right child. Tomorrow morning, a quest shall be issued to him." the centaur mustered a half-smile the blonde's way before waving her off. "Sleep well now, child. You'll be leaving tomorrow."

Annabeth knew she should have felt fear, but she couldn't keep the grin of her face even as she slept. She was finally leaving camp—a haunted place mind you—after five years. Nothing can dampened her mood; not even dreams of a certain green-eyed girl.

**PxT**

* * *

**A/N: **This is a Perlia fic if you don't know. And yes, Percy and Thalia had different fathers because it'd be more convenient this way. Review and tell me what you think!

P.S: Check out my other new story as well!

P.S.S: I wanted to know, are there any Percy/Silena or Percy/Persephone shippers out there?


	2. Chapter 2

**Deal With The Devil**

**Chapter Two: Never Wanted Such A Fate**

* * *

Unlike Annabeth, Percy didn't sleep as well as his friend. He tossed and turned in his bed, unable to sleep with his father's statue glaring down at him and the thunder booming in his cabin. He turned so that he was laying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, trying his best to ignore the Statue Zeus' eyes that seemed to follow his every movement.

If his father was really watching him sleep, it will be super creepy. Knowing or simply assuming that was killing him. He glanced at the clock by his nightstand and flung the covers off his body, swinging his legs down, resting them on the cool and bare floor. It was still early, he decided and figured a walk wouldn't hurt.

His feet tickled as he stepped on grass but he didn't mind. He blinked, his legs had unconsciously brought him to the edge of the woods. Where the dark goddess lived. He hesitated only a second before he entered the woods; he was forced to be extra careful with his steps and especially silent because he had no wish to attract attention and didn't want to hurt his bare feet.

He trudged on the narrow lane, barely visible in the dark. He snapped his fingers and electricity cackled around his right hand, offering some comfort and light to show him the way. The electricity in his hand died abruptly as he approached the sepia river and as an unnatural wind blew through, ruffling his hair and the son of Zeus swore he heard the wind whispering _leave_.

But of course, he didn't. Percy was stubborn and he definitely wouldn't take orders from anyone. The trees seemed to be parting like a canopy above his head as the rushing of the river grew louder, the water gushing about creating an eerie melody, like a lullaby that seemed to lull him to sleep. His eyelids grew heavier but the sight of someone sitting in the river had him wide awake and alert.

He was wondering why some kid would be there until he remembered that the woods weren't his, they belonged to someone else. And that someone else was here, before him and glaring at him.

Thalia's hair previously in a bun was now flowing down her back, as straight as the river she's sitting in. Her skin was covered with vine-like, spidery-webbed black veins—especially her hands. Her eyes were lined with black eye-liner in contrast to her eyes, making the green in them more vivid on her pale complexion. Her dress was white with crimson blossoms—Percy was pretty sure it's blood though who's he didn't know and did not wish to find out—different from the previous crimson cloak and leather.

Aside from the dress and hair, she looked different somehow. Then it clicked in Percy's mind, _younger_. The girl looked younger, probably around his age instead of the age she'd died which was sixteen—just on the eve of her birthday, _oh the cruel irony, died on the date the she was born_.

"Why are you here?"

Thalia's voice wasn't sweet nor was it melodic, it possessed no allure to it like the children of Aphrodite had, which just begged the question why people were terrified of her voice. When he didn't answer immediately, she narrowed her eyes and bared her teeth, revealing the sharp incisors in them. "I gave you your life, packaged as a gift." The voice coming out of her mouth was horrible, hollow and toneless, seeming to be able to echo miles away. "Did you think it was easy to earn my mercy?"

"I couldn't sleep," the son of Zeus mumbled, cutting of the daughter of Poseidon's tirade. "I reckoned having someone to talk to would help but my friends here would punch me if I wake them up just for that. So I thought, _hey, Thalia must be up now, I can go talk to her_!"

A ghost of a smile—no pun intended—played across her lips before being replaced by a grimace as she looked down and saw something in Percy's hand; the expression passed crazily like ripples on a lake. The twelve-year-old looking girl suddenly started to shift, shuffling behind in the river till her back hit the large boulder.

The son of Zeus blinked, the girl was taller than the boulder so it shouldn't be able to—and standing before him was a eight-year-old. For a child that age, she'd made the body too small, so frail that she could've passed of as a five-year-old. The child before him was clutching tightly to a plush toy, beaten so badly that he could barely make it out as a rabbit.

Percy thought he was someone else but the vivid green eyes told him it was Thalia, just in another form. Electricity crackled off the pale girl's skin, making the boy notice the burnt marks and skin there on her otherwise immaculate skin—even the black veins was gone in this new and younger form.

"Thalia?" he called uncertainly, taking a few steps closer to the child. Her name on his tongue rolled off easily and he thought it sounded quite nice.

The child ghost looked up at him with wide fearful eyes, so full of innocence that Percy doubted this was a younger Thalia even though the features were there. But it was a good disguise. The mask she's wearing was wearing had a thoughtful face, gentle green eyes filled with curiosity and joy of life. Her white dress ruined the image of perfect angel because it was flowing and twisting in the river currents, blood seeping in.

How can one bore the image of a demon and angel in the flesh?

"How do you know my name?" the ghost demanded, eyes darting around wildly in fear. "I don't know you! Go away!"

At least her voice didn't change, still high and hollow and raspy as if she had problem speaking. Percy bit back the sarcastic remark and opted for introducing himself. "My name is Perseus Damien Jackson. Call me Percy."

"Damien," the child insisted petulantly.

Percy was far above arguing with a kid. "Right. Whatever."

A long pause ensued with both children of the Big Three—one dead, one alive—studying one another warily though Percy had to wonder why Thalia was studying him. He was nothing special, just a normal guy with pretty good looks, unlike her looks that could change as she wished and had to be described a thousand times—forever changing.

Finally, he broke the silence.

"Why are you still here?" the son of Zeus asked as kindly as possible.

The girl shot him a baffled look. " 'Tis my home. You go away."

"This is not your home!" Percy protested. "You died more than fifty years ago. You don't belong here."

Only when Thalia's face turned dangerously murderous, did Percy realize he'd said the wrong thing. But his tongue wasn't finish yet, he was blaming the lack of sleep and demigod impulsiveness. "You should go you know...to the Underworld. Maybe you'll get into Elysium and party all day and night, live a peaceful and joyous life—"

"_Peaceful_? _**Joyous**_?" the girl ghost echoed, squinting at the son of Zeus as if he was an idiot. "After everything I've done? _Peace_, with the knowledge I'd killed many? My sisters, brothers _and _cousins?"

He blinked and the girl was suddenly gone. Cold hands clamping on the sides of his face alerted him that Thalia was very, very close to Percy. And he didn't like the smell of death around her, the musky scent of the earth and metallic smell of the bloody river—underneath those scents, he could still smell the faint scent of the ocean. Thalia's green eyes were dark and wide as she gazed into his blue hues. "I won't let you kill me, not after what had happened to me." She promised and then she shouts, shouts loud enough to make Percy's eardrums throbbed and for the trees to yawned backwards as she pushed him away, sending him flying out of the forest:

"_I_never_wanted such a fate_!"

If Percy hadn't manage to control the winds to propel and cushion him, he would have broken every bone in his body from the impact. He blinked, dazed, until he heard campers shouting, lights coming from their cabins as they scrambled out to see what was going on. He was already under probation, he couldn't get caught outside curfew.

He scrambled to his feet, and on the contrary, running back to his cabin as the others ran out of their cabin. His breath came out shaky and uneven. But after a few moments of ordering his heart to calm down, he washed his legs and climbed into bed, crawling under the covers and trying to sleep.

Thunder boomed above.

As his eyes slipped shut, he wondered whether or not Thalia had the luxury of snuggling under the covers of a bed for a peaceful sleep.

**PxT**

* * *

**A/N: **There's a reason for the middle name _Damien_. It originated from Greek and it means "_to tame; tamer_" so I thought it would be suitable as Percy's middle name – especially his role in this story. Review and leave me your thoughts!


	3. Chapter 3

**Promise Of The Morrow**

**Chapter Three: Bonding.**

* * *

Percy got his answer sooner than he'd thought he would. Cold winds ruffled the sleeping boy's hair, pierced his skin and stimulated his goose bumps. Percy had great instincts being a demigod and when he felt someone watching him, he jerked awake, hand already reaching for Riptide where he always kept by his side.

He blinked blearily, trying to discern what was in the darkness. He realized no one was there and grumbled out loud, turning to see what time it was. He groaned loudly when he realized that after his last encounter with Thalia, only three hours had passed. It was four in the early morning—and he wished the sun would never rise so he could sleep peacefully.

But of course, nothing peaceful ever came the son of Zeus' way. The breeze in his cabin seemed to have changed its direction and it jerked him right, tugged at his shirt, so sharply that he nearly lost his footing.

"What—" He saw the wind had directed him to and suddenly, he didn't feel like sleeping at all—who would want their heads ripped off in sleep? "Oh," he said, trying to chase away the fear and eagerness (why is it there in him?) in his voice. "Thalia, what do you want?"

The green-eyed monster daughter of Poseidon looked up lazily; she'd propped herself by the window, peering in at his cabin on her elbows. "I'm fine, thank you. How do you do?" Her sarcasm nearly made Percy smile. Almost, because he knew the moment he let his guard down, she'd probably send him to Hades.

"What do you want, Thalia, I mean it. I'm tired and all I want now is to get some sleep."

"_I_ certainly never slept in a cabin here before, never got a nice, comfy bed to sleep in."

That made the son of Zeus pull his face out from under the covers, realizing that she hadn't invited herself in. "Never?" he repeated, his blue eyes wide with shock. "What about when you're alive? When you made it to Camp—"

"Don't be ridiculous," Thalia cut him off callously. "My mother died when I was eight and since then, I lost a comfortable shelter—no thanks to your father—having to run away from my uncles' monsters. I died before I reach Camp, _I_ didn't even know _how _I was in Camp itself since I never made it."

Percy stared at his cousin. "You've never snuck into the cabins before?"

"Yes. Once, lost my control and killed a few of Ares' kids. He hates my guts now," Thalia shrugged though her lips curled upwards as she relieved the memory. "Ever since then, Chiron installed some talisman in each cabin. I can't get in after that, can't even smash the cabin."

"Why didn't you go into Cabin Three when you have the chance?"

The daughter of Poseidon scowled and her cousin instantly dropped the subject. "Right," he muttered. "Just checking." Then he looked up curiously. "That still didn't explain what you want?"

"You left your window open and..." she hesitated. "I saw you sleeping peacefully. I don't like it that you have everything I never had." Her lower lips pushed out ever so slightly into a pout. "I hate you." There was little venom but he could tell she wasn't kidding.

The son of Zeus wanted to admit her confession didn't bother him at all. He couldn't, not when overwhelming sympathy engulfed him like a tidal wave. He ground his teeth together, glancing at the odd symbols at the walls around Zeus Cabin. If he invited her in, those talismans wouldn't work anymore because they'd have acknowledged that she was a safe person.

He glanced back to where the daughter of Poseidon stood. Guilt ate at him when the chilly night wind blasted them, sending her raven hair flying; she looked completely lost and lonely in the background of the forest surrounding camp—her translucent body a sign of what his father had done. Staring into her whirlpool of eyes, the words pull themselves out of his throat. "Come in."

She looked up, surprised but she smiled imperceptibly. Disappearing before materializing in his cabin, the talismans glowed angrily and Percy swore the eyes of the statue of his father glowed blue. Thunder and lightning wreaked the cabin but Thalia didn't seem afraid. Her hovering form was already replaced by one that was almost human.

"You can sleep wherever you want," Percy said, gesturing to the other bunk beds before collapsing onto his own bed. Thalia's footsteps were deathly silent so he didn't know which bed she chose to sleep in until he felt the other side of his bed dip in, rustling as someone crawled under his covers.

He shuddered as her icy breath hit his neck. He turned and found himself close—far too close—to Thalia's face, their nose nearly brushing and feeling one another's breath. In her more humane form, she still held the scent of earth and ocean—no longer the other unpleasant things and he found that he quite like the scent of the sea. Upon close inspection, he saw that she had small almost unnoticeable freckles on her face. Then he also noticed the ratnest that was her long messy curls of hair.

He wrinkled his nose, not in disgust but in displeasure that such beautiful hair would be wasted such. "You really should comb your hair."

Thalia chuckled, an odd sound that she made, not entirely pleasant to hear but he tried not to show it. "I don't have a brush with me when I died," she hummed thoughtfully. "Care to comb my hair for me, cousin?"

He yawned, his eyes already slipping shut as he murmured his answer. "In the morning I will. Not now though...all I want is sleep..."

He yawned again and it distorted his hearing, his vision blurry, he thought he saw sadness in Thalia's eyes and smile and her whisper echoed even in his dreams: "You know I can't stay."

**PxT**

The sun on a new day rose to find Percy awake and staring at the spot on his bed where Thalia occupied last night. The moment he woke, he felt cold. He'd jerked awake when his fingers stretched to find a figure by his side only to find empty space.

He really didn't know what to feel. He'd promised Thalia to comb her hair and she'd gone without even giving him a chance to fulfill that promise. But it was okay, he thought as he slipped his comb into his pocket, he knew he'd be seeing more of Thalia in his journey as a demigod and he knew that one day, someday, he'd be able to fulfill his promise.

"What's wrong with you?" Annabeth asked, eyeing him suspiciously as they clambered into the van. Argus was driving them to the city where he'd eventually drop them off and leave for Camp again. "You look strangely happy."

"Really?" Percy responded distractedly which made his friend scowl.

"Did something happen..." Annabeth trailed off before her stormy grey eyes flashed with irritation and worry as she came to a conclusion. "You...the sound we heard from the woods...what did you do to rile up Thalia?"

"Nothing," Percy said, trying to keep a straight face even though he wanted to laugh at the reminder of how the kids had scramble out of their cabins and the looks on their face? Hilarious! "Nothing happened. Thalia didn't kill me in the end, just a little shove and I'm okay!"

"Percy..."

"I don't want to talk about it." And the discussion ended with Grover glancing at his two best friends nervously, not wanting them to argue. Annabeth remained silent and gave both males the cold shoulder.

As the son of Zeus registered this, he wished Annabeth could be replaced by Thalia. He'd feel safer and better with her by his side—oh, and that's if she wasn't secretly planning to kill him. He didn't trust her fully yet, despite how sorry he felt for her. And that little bonding they had? He wasn't even sure that was not a deception. He wanted to believe she was being sincere but he couldn't really know what's going on in that girl's head.

And the truth that no one wants to hear: demigods never have happy endings.

He shouldn't be feeling like he owed Thalia one. His grip tightened on the comb, but he did owe her a promise and he'd be fulfilling it no matter what.

**PxT**


	4. Chapter 4

**Promise of the Morrow**

**Chapter Four: Lightning Thief.**

* * *

His skin tingled when the tell-tale sign of a lightning close in on them. Percy looked up at the sky through the ceiling of the bus for one second, confirming his fears—one of them currently since he still feared a number of things—when he saw a streak of purple in the cloudy sky.

He grabbed Annabeth's and Grover's arm. "Come on, we got to get out now!"

When Percy told them to run, the other two didn't hesitate to obey because out of them all, Percy had the best instinct. Annabeth scrambled out of the bus and stopped to look back. She didn't have the chance though since the son of Zeus tumbled out next and shove her and Grover a few more feet away, ignoring and bypassing the former passengers of the bus.

Annabeth wondered what was wrong. The bus exploded, the loudness of the action ringing in her ears answered her question. She rubbed her sore ears, wondering will she ever be able to hear through that ear again.

"Curse him," Percy spat, electric blue eyes narrowing. "He'll kill me? When I'm risking my life to help him retrieve his stupid—"

"Percy," Grover bleated nervously, eyes turned into slits out of fear, he pointed to the remains of the bus. No, Annabeth realized, he was pointing to who was hovering above the bus. "L–look… she – she followed us here… she wants us dead. We're going to die."

"Percy," Annabeth added. "Your father wasn't trying to kill you, he was trying to save you from…_her_."

Thinking about it that way, the blonde was right. But looking it in another way, Zeus might have thought of killing them both thus the saying killing two birds with one stone. In this case, one strike of lightning. Thalia hovered above the bus, her arms and hair sizzling, and she didn't look pleased. She shot the still-living-and-hopefully-will-continue-to-be demigods a deathly glare before her form was swallowed by the wind.

Somehow, Percy had a feeling that it wasn't Zeus' doing.

Feeling as if someone had stuffed his throat with sand, he croaked. "Let's go." And together, they plunged into the darkness of the forest.

**PxT**

Percy shifted, turning to the other side again. Try as he might, he wasn't able to fall asleep. He closed his eyes against the inevitable. He sat up, glancing to his right where the campfire had died out and on either side of the fireplace, his friends were slumbering peacefully, unaware of what lurks in the darkness.

He stood and crept away, as silent as death.

When he was safely and well tucked away in the darkness the shadows of the tall trees cast, he took a deep breath can called out. "Come out! I know you're there!"

His voice resounded and bounced around—to him anyways.

A ghostly voice—no pun intended—chuckled, the sound echoing like his did. From the shadows, Thalia stepped forward. She eyed Percy, as if assessing how tasty he would be dead and on a silver platter before her as her next meal. He didn't like that idea.

"What do you want from me?" he demanded once she was in sight. "Why did you follow me here?"

"I was bored. And everyone know that when there's a child of the Big Three around camp…things are bound to get interesting," she hummed. "Anyways, I was rather surprised by your willingness to serve your father…like a puppet."

His jaw clenched. "What do you mean by that?"

"Do you really think Zeus cares about you?"

Percy refrained from blasting a lightning bolt her way. His fists clenched and unclenched. "I'm sure he cares more about me than Poseidon did you." It was a cruel thing to say and they both know it. A flash akin to hurt flashed through Thalia's eyes and Percy nearly felt regret the moment he said that.

He stumbled out an apology but Thalia didn't seem willing to listen anymore.

Her storm green eyes were brewing with anger and if she didn't kill him to satisfy her anger, Percy figured she'd go kill mortals to take out of her anger. He sincerely hope she'd hurt him instead of the innocent humans.

Thalia pointed towards north, past where their camp was. "Head there if you don't want me to start hunting down humans as my next meal," she said as if she could read his mind. He nearly had a whip splash when she said that. Could she actually read minds? Thalia rolled her eyes. "Your face is like a book."

And she vanished again.

Percy didn't know how long it was he stood there and stare at where she last was. He wondered when she disappeared, where would she be? Could she sleep? How did she change her appearance and clothes?

"Percy!" Annabeth's voice called urgently. "Where are you?"

He snapped out of his reverie, turning on his heel and running back to where his friends were, he threw one last glance at the forest. He felt the strange urge to ask _will I see you again_ but he refrained and instead, continued on his way.

**PxT**

Percy swore he heard Thalia laugh at the predicament the he's in. He couldn't fault her, if it was someone else in his position, he would too. He'd made a stupid mistake and he couldn't stop mentally berating himself for not listening to Annabeth earlier.

Thalia's mocking voice still seemed to echo in his head. _If you're there_, he thought bitterly as he heard Grover went in for another pass on Medusa's head; but as good his nose was, he couldn't keep it up forever. _Why don't you kill Medusa for you next meal?_

Percy knew the answer: because then he would have it easy.

"Percy," a voice whispered behind him nearly made him jump ten feet into the air. He whirled around just in time to see Annabeth whip off her invisible cap. She frowned at him, holding a sphere in hand. "What?" she asked when she saw the odd look on his face.

Percy placed a dramatic hand on his heart. "You nearly scared me to death."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic."

"What's the ball for? You want to play at a time like this?"

"No, Airhead," moaned Annabeth in exasperation. "This is for fighting Medusa."

Percy blinked, was he to play handball with the monster? The daughter of Athena smacked him upside the head even though he didn't say anything. Thalia's words from earlier dawn rang in his ears, about how his face was an open book. If even Annabeth can read him so well…

"Are you listening to me?" Said girl's voice cut through his thoughts like knife slicing butter. The son of Zeus blinked distractedly before he recalled and nodded. "Good. Now, take this and go. Grover can't last—"

Just as she said this, Grover made his mistake. Talk about jinx, Percy thought as he saw Grover swipe too low this time and Medusa caught his wooden stick with her claws and hurl him away.

"Well," he muttered to himself. "Time to go."

Silvery laughter and he knew someone other than himself heard him.

**PxT**

One might either call the son of Zeus a fool or a brave one for walking all alone into a trap made for the gods. Percy couldn't help it. It wasn't like he thought of his friends weak—Annabeth and piggyback ride a Fury and Grover can hold out long against Medusa, he wouldn't underestimate individuals like them—he just wanted backup if something went wrong.

He ascended cautiously into the water park, eyes warily gauging for any threats.

Nothing. Yet. He approached the shield, knowing full well that his friends were watching and that they were anticipating him to be caught in a trap any moment and they have to save his sorry ass again. He grabbed it and only then did he realize that he'd snapped a string.

He yelped, jerking back when the cupid statues whirled to live, their arrows shot from their bow over and over. It didn't take long for their strings to create a web and Percy had a sinking feeling that it was spider webs so wouldn't that mean…

Annabeth's terrified shrieks answered it all. Percy turned and watched in horror as an army of thousand metallic spiders crawled out from seemingly no-where. The daughter of Athena was so terrified she lost sense of direction, actually making the mistake of putting a wrong foot and fell right in the trap where Percy barely caught her or she'd have fallen flat on her nose.

The son of Zeus tried to fend himself and his friend from being bitten by the metallic spiders but there was just too damn many for him to get them. Electrocuting them? He didn't think he could do that without hurting Annabeth (he was lightning resistant so he would be fine but not his friend). Percy, in a desperate and totally nuts attempt, dragged Annabeth towards the sole boat in the place.

"Grover!" he yelled. "Get the controls! We need water!"

The satyr snapped into action but Percy doubted the machines would work after so long of abandonment and Grover's no Cyclopes or child of Hephaestus. He took a deep breath and yelled out again.

"Thalia, I know you're there!" he said but received no answer. Regardless, he continued. "Can you bust the pipes for some water? I'll repay you somehow!"

The air by the pipes he'd meant shimmered but still no ghost there.

"I'd give you want as long as it's within my powers! Please!"

_It was stupid_, Thalia thought as she appeared and smashed her fist into the pipes, summoning water from within and watched as if gush out. She caught a brief glimpse of Percy's grateful look and her non-existent heart warmed for unknown reasons. She watched apathetically as Grover left his post and with his flying sneakers, flew after his friends. Friends… she'd never had them. Deep down, she'd always wanted friends and to be surrounded by them. It was a childish dream back when she was still alive…now, she wasn't so sure. When family had turned its back on you, what can you expect from friends—who are in no way related to you?

It was reckless to sacrifice what might be requested of him (Life and soul maybe). It was foolish and unexpected.

"It was brave…" she whispered, wondering why she was so caught up on that. She closed her eyes, maybe, unlike him who was willing to take great leaps, she was not as brave.

And it'd cost her her life hadn't it?

**PxT**

"Well," drawled Percy sarcastically. "What do we have here?"

Thalia sneered at him as she stepped out from behind one of the many golden columns within Olympus. The minor deities, nymphs and other mythical creatures hissed at her but Thalia didn't even pay them any attention.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. "How did you even manage to get up here? Why are you here? To see Poseidon—"

"You owe me," said Thalia coolly. "At the water park you said you'd give me anything I wanted."

"Not now—"

"I know, you're a busy little hero," she said mockingly. "That's why it have to be later and later might not come if Zeus or Poseidon chose to blast you to bits."

"What do you propose I do then?" Percy asked as he started walking towards the golden doors which hid the throne room of the gods from sight. "Not go in?"

"No." Suddenly, Thalia gripped his forearm. Her hand surprisingly solid and substantial in a way Percy thought impossible. Searing pain nearly made his knees buckle and then Thalia released his arm. Percy shot her glare but she'd already disappeared when the minor deities close in on them. The son of Zeus straightened and glanced down at his forearm where Thalia had carved in the shape of a trident.

Percy crossed his fingers and pushed open the golden doors.

**PxT**

She didn't show herself as usual but Percy knew she was there. He'd somehow developed some sensor for when Thalia was there or when she wasn't there. Most of the time, she wasn't unless he was in some life-threatening situation—it sometimes made him think of her as some guardian angel, he never told anyone of course, they'd think he was crazy.

"Are you happy now that you've said, _I told you so_?" he demanded crossly, his voice hoarse.

From across the room, partially hidden by shadows, she sniffed disdainfully. "I said no such thing."

"Your presence and smirk implied it."

"I'm amazed by your skill of observation. Luckily the poison didn't corrode your eyes like it did your arm, hm?"

"I thought you trident charm was supposed to protect me." He nearly whined.

"Just against lightning and water, not poison."

The son of Zeus opened his mouth to make a scathing retort but the door opening to reveal Chiron stopped him from saying what he has to say. Did Chiron hear? The centaur looked disturbed. But luckily, when they conversed, he didn't bring up Thalia.

"Oh, and Percy?"

Said boy raised his head to look at his mentor. "Yeah?"

"It would be wise to not get so attached to Thalia." It was obviously directed at him. But then Chiron looked at the shadows as he added, "and vice versa, Thalia dear." And he left.

"Old git," Thalia's voice murmured from the shadows, growing weaker and fainter. "No right to say…"

"Thalia?" he called. No one answered.

When he posed this strange occurrence to Annabeth, she had a constipated sort of look on her face.

"What?" Percy said defensively, shifting the strap of his travelling pack on his shoulder for more comfort. The two were standing beneath the wisteria tree, the petals in full bloom and fluttering around them. "What did I say wrong?"

"Nah," Grover said, joining the two who were waiting for the van that will take them to their respective destination. "It's that time of year again."

"Oh… woman's… that?"

Annabeth smacked him. "No, the time of year where she's weak."

"The only time we're safe," Grover agreed. "The anniversary of her death."

"I thought she's supposed to grow stronger?"

Annabeth shot him an annoyed look. "Whatever, Airhead. Why do you care so much?"

"Nothing." He said.

When his transport arrived, Percy actually found himself looking at every shadow in sight, trying desperately to see the daughter of Poseidon. But he saw no one.

Only when he stepped off the van did he realize that what he felt when he didn't see Thalia was disappointment.

**PxT**

* * *

A/N: My computer's out in the repair shop and all the other works on my docs are lost. So it'd be quite a while before the PJO stories are updated. Review!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Empathy.**

**/**

It was storming; the skies his father presided over yawning so widely as lightning bolts streaked around, occasionally striking down. Sluggishly, and from such a distance, Percy was unable to make out what his father was aiming at. The son of Zeus squinted in confusion, wondering what he was supposed to do just as he felt a sucking motion towards the figure being hunted down.

Moments later, alarm filled Percy's head and he was suddenly running. Dreams were fluid at best and usually, he was the onlooker but this time, he was dreaming what the hunted had been through. The rain hindered his vision and electricity cackled all around, harming and painful but he ploughed on anyway, his arms outstretched, teeth gritted against the wind.

Then he saw it: a familiar hill he recognized as Half-Blood Hill but there was no tree. He reached the point, breathing hard, where Thalia's tree once stood and gazed down at the valley where demigods were arming themselves and charging uphill towards him but he knew they would be too late to help him. Save him from what exactly? Percy could barely comprehend through the pain invading his mind.

Then when lightning struck and he crumpled, he knew what was happening, who's life he was relieving: Thalia's. His vision darkened and that same pulling motion again before he found himself once again at a third person's point of view; he saw something Thalia did not see as she died—the three green dots that connected to form a trident: Poseidon claiming her. Percy watched as Thalia's body melted into the ground, her hands and feet turning into roots and her hair braiding itself into branches and the process was painful, he knew because he could just hear Thalia's scream of anguish—

"Percy!"

Wait, she was calling his name?

"Percy, wake up—time for school!"

Huh?

Blearily, the son of Zeus woke, pulling himself out of Morpheus' hold to face his beautiful mother, glancing down at him with concern etched on her features. "Sweetie, are you okay? You were thrashing in your sleep. Another bad dream?" When he nodded, she sighed heavily but then seeming to remember he was still there, mustered a painful smile his way and told him breakfast was ready and to get dress for his last day of the term. His mother seemed resigned to the fact that her son was destined for great things and thus, would always be in danger. Percy felt bad for worrying her but there was nothing he could do; not like he'd asked to be a hero, he could've done very well as a normal delinquent king thank you very much.

"Don't let the dream drag you down too much, dear," his mother was saying as she spread butter on a slice of toasted bread. "Cheer up, it's your last day of school and you're finally completing a year without trouble. We should celebrate!"

Percy grinned, actually finding that he didn't have to force it out. "Yeah and I'll finally go back to camp!"

When he said it, his mother's face darkened, considerably; Percy stared curiously as she twisted the washcloth in her hands, as she always did when she was contemplating something serious or when he was in deep trouble. "Ah," she finally said. "About that..."

"Did something happened at camp, mom?" Percy asked, suspicious of the grim atmosphere. He wondered, was the daughter of Poseidon causing trouble again. "Tell me," he insisted stubbornly.

His mother hesitated, gazing at him sadly despite the smile on her face. "Why don't you go to school first? we'll discuss this once you get back from school; wouldn't want to keep Tyson waiting do you?"

His mother had hit a nerve; Percy was worried about Tyson's safety when he was left alone to his own devices so he swallowed down the demands and protests and nodded, getting out of his chair and exiting the apartment he and his mother shared—with no one else, no more Gabe and it was almost enough to put a spring in the boy's steps.

Almost; because he couldn't dislodge the paranoia that someone was watching him from the shadows. Last summer, he'd thrashed his uncle Hades' plans to pieces and had made quite an enemy of him, but the matter was resolved now, he doubted the Lord of the Underworld needed something else of him. Maybe Hades was trying to usurp Zeus? No, no, Percy told his brain to stop spouting useless guesses because he was seriously starting to get paranoid like his old man.

He really needed to see people who were earnest and honest around him and not hell-bent on hiding something from him. And Tyson was the person fitting the description exactly, which probably explained why he was so much in a hurry to meet up with his only friend in his current school.

Tyson was large and might've been intimidating had he not cried often like a baby. The son of Zeus was always there to protect him from mortal bullies though so no harm there. But because he was always sticking up to the odd-one-out, Percy had no other friends and mortal girls definitely would not be caught dead calling his name.

Percy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, glancing around suspiciously at the people milling about the lockers just as he slammed his shut. He shrugged, the nightmare about Thalia had seriously shaken him up and made him more paranoid than usual so he tried his best to ignore little details, like, Matt Sloan's new buddies who were all twice the size of the blue-eyed boy and could push him a few feet away from where he last stood.

Yeah, that little detail landed him in a car-ride-to-Hades with his friends.

"Okay, so let me get this straight, we're hurtling to our death—"

"Percy, don't be cheeky," the daughter of Athena admonished, glowering at him and Tyson—Percy had been forced to bring him along since he begged but he didn't understand why his blonde friend seemed to hate his other male friend. "This is the fastest way to camp."

"Why not a normal taxi? I'm sure we can get there in one piece if we use mortal taxis." Percy threw a furtive glance at the three old ladies, that were bickering loudly _while_ driving, to make sure neither of them heard his statement. "Why do we need to be there so quickly anyway?"

Annabeth's eyes were wild as the taxi made a swerve, tires connecting with a rock which jolted the passengers so hard Tyson hit his head on the ceiling. Another turn and Percy was sure he'd lost his stomach somewhere in the last street, and worst of all, Tyson was green in the face, he looked like he wanted to puke and it would not be a nice experience. Percy was speaking from experience.

"Camp's in trouble, I had a dream—"

"Annabeth, give Tyson your bag!" the blue-eyed demigod yelled, as another hard bump and his head connected with the window. "OW!"

"Are you crazy?!"

Before Percy can say anything something dropped into his lap. The son of Zeus nearly screeched like a baby when his eyes registered it was an eyeball in his lap. He batted it away, jumping high enough to hit his head, he gaped as the eyeball roll away from him.

"Pick it up!" Annabeth yelled, face white and beaded with sweat. "And give it back to them, they can't drive properly without it!"

"We're still going to let them drive us to Camp—which you still haven't explain why and how in trouble—when they're obviously crazy?!"

"We're not crazy!" One of the sisters shrieked in protest, trying to claw the son of Zeus' face but he pulled back from mauling range. He glanced at his friends as if to say, _see?_ but they ignored him primly. "Bah, Son of Zeus—all the same! We're wise, wiser than you boy and we have lots of experience!"

"Yeah," Percy muttered. "Experience in causing people's death, I suppose." Though he was secretly intrigued, did this crazy old hags have terrible experiences with his older brothers once?

"We know the location you seek!" Another sister said, trying to support her other sister's earlier claims. Percy's eyebrows rose to his hairline. He didn't want anything but it couldn't hurt to know more.

"You idiot! He wasn't suppose to know that!"

"What location I seek? Tell me!"

"Percy, it's not the time, if you don't get them the eye, we're going to smash into tiny pieces!" Great time to lecture, Annabeth. Percy ignored her, reaching down to pick up the eye; he held it tauntingly before the sisters' clawing hands, demanding they tell him the location.

All he got was some stupid coordination that he did not understand but Annabeth had gotten fed up with him, snatching the eyeball from his momentarily slack grasp and tossing it in the driving sister's lap. "Whoa," the old lady said once her sight was regained, her feet stepped on the brakes and the grey mythical car made a few sickening turns before it stopped.

"Wait," Percy yelled even as Tyson crawled out and Annabeth kicked him out of the car before following. "What do you mean by the stupid coordination?!"

But it was too late, whatever the Sisters saw had terrified them into fleeing without even collecting their payment but Percy swore one of them cursed sons of Zeus before they were a mere dot in the distance, smoke billowing around them. "Hey!" he protested indignantly.

"Percy," the blonde girl by his side snapped, grey eyes intense as she scanned Half-Blood Hill and the source of the noise. "Now's not the time." She jabbed a finger at the battling demigods and Percy trailed his eyes to the demigods. He was jaw-slacked when he realized the monster had no problem crossing the borderline.

Instantly, he was sprinting to cross the distance to help his fellow demigods, Annabeth was not far but when Tyson made to follow, Percy yelled at him to stay back—he didn't want his mortal and innocent friend to be injured in this, actually, why did Annabeth even dragged him here when she held nothing but spite for him?

"What's happening?" Percy yelled at the carnage, recognizing the demigods as children of Ares and one of them was his rival, Clarisse La Rue. Said burly girl scowled at him but she ignored him in favor of jabbing her spear at a bull. Percy scowled, he didn't like being in the dark, as he drew on Riptide to face an oncoming bull.

Wind swirled around him by his command; when the bull was near, Percy commanded the air to lift him up, a precise cut empowered by the sharp air was enough to severe the flaming bull's head off but to Percy's alarm, that did not stop the body from moving. The demigod hissed in pain when he was pushed to the ground, cornered and with the bull bearing down on him. The heat seemed enough to set him on fire and Percy was considering electrocuting the damn thing when Annabeth yelled, "I, Annabeth Chase, allow permission for Tyson to enter!"

He was puzzled but the next moment, he was baffled when his scenery before his eyes changed. Instead of the flaming bull's flames, he was greeted to a clear sky. He blinked, dazed before he sat up and looked around, his jaw dropped when he saw Tyson pounding the bull's head in before proceeding to rip apart the other monsters.

Shakily, he got to his feet. "What...?"

"You've never noticed Tyson was a Cyclopes?" Percy's head nearly had whiplash with the speed he turned to face Annabeth whom had spoken. She arched a patronizing brow at his ignorance. "Look higher, deeper, through the Mist and you'll see he only have one eye."

Percy did as told but the shock hadn't ebb away yet. He studied the place, still baffled. "What happened to the camp's borders?" What happened to Thalia? She would've been here, happily ripping apart the monsters and devouring them, the demigods shouldn't bother with stray monsters stupid enough to come here where the ghost haunted.

Clarisse glared at him, obviously displeased at his presence. "That happened." she sneered, jabbing her thumb at Thalia's tree before storming away.

He turned, Thalia's pine was sickly yellow, and the barks were peeling off, the grass around the tree were wilting, as if affected by the tree's illness as well. He swallowed thickly, finally knowing what the nightmare he'd had earlier had represented: Thalia in trouble, no wonder she wasn't here.

"What about Thalia?" he asked but the daughter of Ares had already left to tend to her wounded warriors. Percy stared questioningly at the daughter of Athena but she was frowning, as if trying to puzzle it out as well.

"We have to ask Chiron about it," she finally decided, shouldering her backpack and walking towards Clarisse, offering to help out. Tyson wandered off there as well, concerned about some stranger's well-being and leaving his friend to ponder before the pine tree.

**/**

Clairsse grumbled as she watched Will Solace, a son of Apollo, bandage her left and only injured arm. It hurt a little but she refused to show such weakness as he did it rather harshly, obviously the Apollo Cabin had yet to forgive the Ares Cabin from their last scuffle.

When he moved away, she allowed her face to soften as she gazed at her injured siblings. In Ares cabin, you don't show much of your lovey-dovey with your siblings but when you're beating one another up, you knew they cared about you enough to avenge you if you ever died.

One of the older siblings, Clarisse's sister who had been cabin counselor before her, had died and Clarisse had sworn vengeance upon the daughter of Poseidon for killing her. Clarisse, hot-headed little nine-year-old her had charged the pine tree where she knew Thalia's spirit resided. She also recalled how easily the ghost had, with a snap of her fingers, sent her flying and breaking a few bones in the process.

Chrion had hauled her off before she could kill herself. Clarisse remembered clearly how much she wanted the daughter of Poseidon to fall, to die and pass on to wherever ghosts like her go. But she stayed and now, after so many years yet her grudge never died, Clarisse thought it ironic that she wanted Thalia back.

It wasn't for her sake, then it was for the campers' sake, for Camp, she would tolerate the guardian of Camp Half-Blood. Ironic how she would do anything to bring the murderer of her favorite person back.

It must've came to a surprise when the quest issued to save the daughter of Poseidon, she volunteered. As a plus, she also could see how the son of Zeus stormed—terrible puns aside—away like a baby throwing a tantrum.

**/**

Percy was furious. Firstly, for the crime of saving Camp from some birds, he'd been punished—fortunately, Annabeth and Tyson volunteered to help. Secondly, his father Zeus claimed the Cyclopes as his—why, Percy did not know, because surely Tyson was one of Poseidon's serious mistakes. Thirdly, he lost his chance to save Thalia—and was humiliated before everyone at Camp as well.

So, yes, the son of Zeus was howling for vengeance and blood—most preferably, that of Tantalus who seemed to hate him and like Clarisse. It was like Mrs. Dodds and Nancy Bobofit all over again. Urgh. He couldn't seem to escape from people like them. Unknowingly, Percy's feet had carried him deep into the woods. He stopped before making his way towards he creek, settling himself down by the rusty river and gazing deeply down into it. "If you were here, Thalia, I'm sure you would've had sent Tantalus packing."

"I am here."

He turned, alarmed at the new and raspy voice. He relaxed considerably but still wary of Thalia's presence. The ghost flickered in and out, like she was struggling to maintain her form. "I'm very weak," the green-eyed girl admitted grudgingly at his questioning look. "The only reason I'm still here is because of you."

Percy was baffled.

"Huh?"

"Remember the trident tattoo? I hid some of my lifeforce there in fear that I might need it someday; just," she sighed dramatically, as she settled herself down in the river, seeming to enjoy the rushing currents on her non-existent body. "never imagined it would be so soon." Her stormy green eyes narrowed at her cousin's. "That said, get going."

"Uh, sure, I'll be leaving you to your own devices now." Something in the son of Zeus told him to run like mad if he didn't want to be in trouble but Thalia stopped him, by appearing in front of him, invading his personal space which she definitely did not respect. "Uh, you need something?" he edged backwards slowly.

Thalia smirked but she didn't hurt him or terrify him. Abruptly, she turned and pointed towards the sea. "There'd be a ship waiting for you there. You best fly there; help will come, soon but just not now."

"What are you implying exactly?"

"Nothing. I'm ordering you to get the Golden Fleece. Consider doing me a favor, you should be honored."

Percy snorted. "Yeah, right, what's there in it for me?"

"Kronos is rising and will be striking Camp," Thalia said seriously, her expression grimmer than usual. "Admit it, Camp needs me to guard it."

She was right. Percy sighed, "So I'm supposed to go alone with no supplies?"

"Hurry." The daughter of Poseidon was nowhere in sight but her voice was clearly heard. "The harpies are here."

Instantly, the son of Zeus took flight, the air propelling him into air and sending him soaring above Camp Half-Blood. He cast a wistful glance at the Camp that he considered to be his second home full of his relatives, and sincerely hoped that it would not be the last time he saw it.

_If you don't want it to be the last time_, Thalia's voice echoed in his head—but he couldn't tell if it was really her or just his imagination. _Then hurry up and save me_. She sounded impatient and imagination or not, it was a useful advice.

**/**

Aboard the ship which was eerily lacking passengers but screamed of danger, the son of Zeus was having trouble falling asleep. He turned on his side again, hand tucked under his head as he dissected the thoughts running wild in his head.

"Hey, Thalia, you there?" There was no answer but the trident tattoo on his arm warmed a little so he took it as an affirmative. "Why didn't you move on after your death? Why did you linger? Do you have some sort of... unfinished wish?"

_So eager to send me away now, are you?_ Her response was light and amused, it made Percy wonder was this how she was before she died, before she became bitter and hardened by death and everything she'd seen the gods do. _Truthfully, I don't remember_.

"You're not here now, but why can I hear you?"

_'Tis an empathy link that I established since I cannot travel so far now, as weak as I am now_, Thalia sounded displeased and disgusted with her own disablities but she sounded resgined. _And curse those campers, how dare they celebrate?_

"They have no brains then," the blue-eyed demigod said helpfully to quell her anger. "If you're gone, protection over camp would be gone too."

_Good to see that someone at least have half a brain_.

"Yup," a cheery, stranger, male voice agreed. "But brains alone can't help you through the Sea of Monsters. You'll need my help too, brother dear."

Percy sat up abruptly, eyes wide as he turned to face the new stranger. His eyes bulged and he felt Thalia humming in curiosity. "_You?_"

**PxT**

* * *

**AN/** As you can see, I changed the title again, and the plot along with it - but that'll come in later. I started a website with a forum for role-playing, and my stories' info along with it. I **need help editing** though- contact me if you can help create a **short summary about the character** of one of the story.


	6. Chapter 6

**Can You Hear Me?**

**Chapter Six: Sink or Swim.**

Percy woke to the sound of an announcer.

Groggily, he sat up on his elbows, rubbing the crust of sleep over his eyes and blinked, studying the dark room he was in. Where was he?

Then the memories of yesterday rushed in and he groaned, flopping back onto the bed, hearing it creak in protest. Great, if he decided to leave now, he'd be facing monsters and he doubted he would have such luxuries. But Camp's safety and Thalia's life were more important than his beauty sleep.

With that thought in mind, Percy rolled out of bed, packed his things, grabbed his bags and exited the room. He found himself not as reluctant to leave the ship and the room behind altogether. He shuddered at the eerie silence.

The announcer broke the silence again:

"Passengers, to enjoy a show of dracanaes tearing apart young godlings, and Cyclopes please head to..."

Percy's eyes bugged. What did the announcer say? His sense of justice prevented him from just flying out of the ship. He hoped he wouldn't regret his decision to save whatever half-blood was caught. He sneaked around, carefully, avoiding anyone in his way.

He ran into a mortal man once but the name was in a daze, muttering over and over about how much fun he was having.

Percy didn't know how to save him—and all the unfortunate passengers who only wanted a vacation. It wasn't like he could fly the whole ship away.

He wasn't _that_ great.

Percy halted when he heard voices whispering to one another. He swore the voices were from the Hermes Cabin, he heard some of them before during his temporary stay in the cabin. Traitors? he thought, and decided that it wasn't implausible.

He clenched his fists.

Damn, if he ever got his hands on those traitorous demigods, would tear them to shreds!

Pushing down his murderous rage which Thalia seemed to be egging on, he advanced cautiously into the hangar. Chains clinked and creaked, as the captive struggled to free themselves of the chains.

He made a swift turn towards where he heard the sounds of the chains. When he saw who was chained to the wall, he stopped.

"Tyson?" he echoed incredulously, seeing his 'half-brother' (he was still convinced Tyson was Poseidon's mistake) who teared up upon seeing him. "What on earth are you doing here?" His eyes trailed to the fragile figure by the Cyclopes' side. "And _Silena_? How on earth did you two get caught?"

Tyson sniffled.

"Sorry, big brother," he mumbled, looking ready to bawl loudly.

Percy swallowed.

"It's okay," he said unconvincingly, drawing Riptide. "I'll get the both of you out of this."

And he did. He advanced, slicing the chains to oblivion. He didn't brace himself on time and when Tyson hugged him, he felt like he'd been run over by a truck. Silena smiled a teary smile, wrapping her slender arms around the son of Zeus which made him blush heavily.

"S-so, anyway," he mumbled, face hot. "How did you guys get caught?"

"I saw big brother flying away," Tyson said, blinking his one eye innocently. "I was worried. I followed." He looked at Silena. "She followed me. Wanted to keep us safe."

Silena blushed.

"Well, I don't think Charlie would be too happy if his favorite Cyclopes and apprentice got hurt or lost. I figured I should help but I didn't think that we're actually on enemy's ship." She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself and looked around pleadingly. "Can we please leave now?"

"Yeah," Percy said, a nagging suspicion in the back of his mind. "Let's get out of here."

He hesitated, glancing at Silena.

"Why are you out so late anyway?" he asked, suspicion growing as the daughter of Aphrodite tensed, face white for a moment before she calmed herself and locked her emotions away behind her mask.

Percy instantly decided he didn't trust her.

"I - I..." she blushed prettily—Percy would've admired the look if he wasn't so suspicious of her now—and glanced down at her boots. "I just... Charlie promised to show me something magnificent."

Tyson nodded, believing her instantly. "Beckendorf's very cool. I understand." He patted her shoulder lightly, understandingly but Percy wasn't so easily deterred.

"If you say so," he said warily, eyeing her cautiously and keeping a fair distance ahead as they walked down the hallway.

He didn't trust her one bit but he figured he might as well keep her around. Maybe he could use her...

**xXx**

A few hours later and Percy's suspicion of Silena deepened.

He didn't voice it of course. If he confronted her, she might not slip up again and reveal a goldmine of information. He didn't have anyone to confide in either: Thalia was too weak to hold a conversation, she was resting up whatever energy she had left and Tyson was just too naive and he liked Silena too much.

Percy figured the Cyclopes would side with her instead of him. And the children of Aphrodite could use charmspeak. It was a useful and manipulative ability which generally made children of Aphrodite distrustful in Percy's opinion. They were unreliable and he didn't like them one bit.

Sure they were pretty, but all of them acted like sluts and man-whores.

He didn't like them.

Silena was more useful, she knew a lot, but Percy always suspected the information she provided. He countered her coldly and eyed her every move which he knew made her uncomfortable. The daughter of Aphrodite had offered to cook, but he didn't allow it, paranoid that she would poison their food (what was that can she's holding)?

He had cooked. And his questmates quickly found that the son of Zeus was a wonderful cook.

(And that was no sarcasm.)

There were many small teeny-tiny actions of Silena that Percy was suspicious of and he deathly wanted to confide in Thalia even though he could already predict her response; which would be along the lines of_ kill her and be done with it_ or _threaten her and make her talk_.

Percy didn't think either would work. He wasn't a hardened killer and he didn't think he was intimidating enough, didn't think he was capable of resisting charmspeak (he didn't know how proficient she was in charmspeaking and it might cost him dearly). So enduring her for the mean time was it.

"Percy!"

He turned.

"Yeah?" he asked distractedly, not at all wondering why she was so out of breath and panicking.

"It's a Hydra!"

"What!" The son of Zeus sprang to his feet, Riptide drawn as the monster came charging with its six heads and Tyson just barely able to dodge the acidic fireball. He scowled. "Who lured it here?" he threw a suspicious glance at Silena who ignored him in favor of dodging the monster's fireball.

It surprised Percy somewhat that the child of Aphrodite was so agile despite never working out before. Silena said she only ran when something was chasing her.

That was a terrible workout regime.

But now wasn't the time. Percy dodged, backing up quickly when the Hydra advanced and one of it's head snapped at him. Without thinking, he brought his sword down and sliced off the Hydra's head. He was suspicious when the stump of meat didn't regenerate easily.

"That easy?" he asked skeptically.

"No!" Silena cried in horror. "Don't cut anymore of its head! When one head is cut off, two more regrows—"

Two heads roared in Percy's face, a third head spat acid at him which he barely deflect with the wind around him. He shot Silena a sarcastic smile. "Thanks a lot," he said, sarcasm leaking. "warning could've come earlier though."

"We're dead," Tyson remarked mournfully.

"Only fire can stop its regeneration ability!"

Percy scowled.

"We're fresh out of fire-users," he muttered, wondering if he could summon lightning and singe the creature. Might as well give it a try. He would've summoned lightning but it was time consuming and needed his utmost concentration—it was easier with wind, he didn't have to struggle as much as lightning.

"Damn," he cursed softly as he jumped out of the way of another acidic ball.

Was this really the end of the road?

"Percy!"

Said boy blinked. This was a new but familiar voice. He turned, eyes lighting up when he saw familiar blonde hair.

"Annabeth!" he cried joyously. "What brings you here?"

Before the daughter of Athena could answer, she was shoved rudely away by another familiar, unpleasant girl.

Percy scowled, this expression was mirrored by Clarisse who had just ordered a bombs-away at the Hydra (who was nothing but a pile of singed ash).

"Losers," the daughter of Ares sneered meanly. "but I suppose I'll have to be the knight in shining armor. Get on and we'll talk about your presence here."

**xXx**

Now, as a son of Zeus, Percy was not expert when it came to sea monsters and the ocean itself. But when confronted with Charybdis and Scylla, the latter looked awfully wonderful with its cliff instead of the former's jaws.

He threw Clarisse a furious glance. He had half a mind to just fly off the ship but that would mean abandoning his comrades and he was anything but loyal.

No matter how bad they were, he wouldn't leave them for the dead.

"This is stupid," the blue-eyed demigod said after awhile, through the roars of wind and waves. "we're going to die because of your stupid leadership."

Clarisse ignored him.

Percy nearly pouted. Nearly. With great effort, he turned away stiffly to face Charybdis... and gaped.

Charybdis was an orthodontist's nightmare. She was nothing but a huge black maw with bad teeth alignment and a serious overbite, and she'd done nothing for centuries but eat without brushing after meals.

He winced.

"Ugh... now I really want to face Scylla instead."

Annabeth couldn't agree more but convincing Clarisse was futile when the older girl already had her eyes set on a goal. Percy fidgeted, silently wondering Tyson was going to get the repairs on the engine done. He was starting to worry.

The next motion made Percy's stomach churn. Groaning, he commanded the winds, ordering them to lift him aloft the ship's surface. He grimaced and glared at Clarisse who was struggling to stand upright as Charybdis sucked in even more water with her breath.

"We've got to turn around and head to Scylla!" he hollered over the sounds.

Clarisse glared at him.

"Shut up! I know what I'm doing," she grounded through gritted teeth, she turned to an undead sailor. "Stay close and fire!"

"Are you crazy?" the son of Zeus screamed. "We'll die! We _have_ to move away! Listen to me!"

The wind raged and rebelled against the son of Zeus. He flew backwards, gripping the rail as the ship fought against the suction and the wind. The broken Ares flag raced past them and lodged in Charybdis's braces. Percy didn't see the ship making much progress, but at least they were holding their own and wasn't dead yet. Tyson had somehow given the group just enough juice to keep the ship from being sucked in.

"It's not going to last!" Percy screamed through the roar of the winds, fighting for control.

Suddenly, the mouth snapped shut. The sea died to absolute calm. Water washed over Charybdis and Percy landed on the ship's surface, out of breath from his battle with gravity and the winds. He scowled, turning onto his back and gazing at the suddenly clam sky.

He didn't like this. It was a calm before the storm situation and he wanted out of there more than ever.

Then, just as quickly as it had closed, the mouth exploded open, spitting out a wall of water, ejecting every thing inedible, including the ship's cannonballs, one of which slammed into the side of the CSS Birmingham with a _ding_ like the bell on a carnival game.

Percy knew they were screwed.

These were one of the times he wished he hadn't been right.

The wave that came must've been forty feet high and Percy really worried what would happen if it crush down on them. He couldn't swim and he knew Poseidon would jump at the chance of killing him in water. He glanced at the trident which sparkled in the presence of water.

He hoped it would be enough to protect him.

"The engine is about to blow!" someone screamed and the statement made him frown.

"What about Tyson?" he yelled to the undead reporter.

"Still down there," the sailor said. "Holding it together somehow, though I don't know for how much longer."

The captain said, "We have to abandon ship."

"No!" Clarisse yelled.

"We have no choice, m'lady. The hull is already cracking apart! She can't—"

He never finished his sentence. Quick as lightning, something brown and green shot from the sky, snatched up the captain, and lifted him away. All that was left were his leather boots.

"Scylla!" a sailor yelled, as another column of reptilian flesh shot from the cliffs and snapped him up. It happened so fast it was like watching a laser beam rather than a monster.

Now, Percy was all for flying away from the ship, regardless of Clarisse's stupidity. He struggled onto his hands and knees, squinting through the storm and there, he saw a glint of gold and he knew it was Annabeth. He ran towards her, nearly tumbling off the railing as he came to a stop beside her.

"Get to the lifeboat," he said, handing her the thermos Hermes had given her. "Twist the cap, get Clarisse and Silena, get out of here."

"What about you?" the daughter of Athena asked, breathless as she accepted the gift.

"I won't abandon Tyson. I'll get him and maybe, I'll fly us out of here." Seeing her concerned look, Percy offered her a smile, pecking her cheek. "It'll be okay," he said, chuckling when he saw her flaming cheeks.

He turned and ran.

"Tyson!" he yelled.

Before he could reach the stairs, something caught his backpack and snatched him into the air. He yelled out in surprise. He growled, cursing as he came to the realization that Scylla had caught him and was about to devour him now. Without thinking, he brought his sword down and managed to jab the monster in the eye.

The monster howled, releasing the son of Zeus.

The fall would've been bad enough and just as he wrestled with the winds, the ship below exploded, hitting him and sending him flying. Heat seared in his front and he managed to give a hoarse scream before he sunk into the ocean.

He knew he screamed but all that remain was darkness.

_Thalia_, he thought, _can you hear me? Can you help me?_

**xXx**

* * *

**A/N:** —.—ll I changed the title again. I think it's still going to change in the near future. I need suggestions for the title of this story as well. Even thought I know I'm hopelessly late, **review**? -hopeful-

Also, do check out my new PJO story (Genderbending, FemNico and MaleThalia anyone?) and R&R!


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